Tag Archives: French

The Decade of the Daily Panic Attack

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This has been me for the past week.

On Sunday, Jesse and I went a friend’s house for dinner and as we made guacamole and shrimp, we they were discussing what a horrifying decade the 20′s are. I mean, don’t get me wrong, they were touting the benefits of the extreme highs that come with feeling like the world is your play ground, but they were also talking about the painful decisions that come with it.

I don’t know about you, but as a twenty something on the cusp of graduation, I feel like I am making a life changing decision daily. I mean, it is exciting to feel like your life is one way this week, only to discover it is so much more the next. But the real reason I am having internal panic attacks this week is because I have a hard decision to make. One that really will alter where I end up and what I do and I don’t know what the right decision is. I am sure one day I will fondly look back on this moment of blindness and feel pleased with the choice I made, but right now it is wretched.

I was accepted to the ODYSSEY program in Quebec which means 9 months in a high school teaching English and becoming fluent in French.

And then the Journal where I work offered me a full time position which is purposefully tailored to my interests and strengths.

I was asking my dad advice tonight and he suggested in all seriousness that if I want them both equally, I write them down on a scrap of paper and make a draw out of it. Thanks Dad… :|

Tomorrow I booked an appointment with the Career Centre so I can whine and lament to a professional, but if all else fails, I can always draw it out of a hat..

What tactics do you use to make hard decisions?

First World Problem

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Seriously all I can think about as I start this post is an over used phrase by Charles Dickens in one of my favourite novels of all time: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” But in all truth, I cannot decide whether I am surviving the time until this semester is over or absolutely living the dream. I would definately chose the latter if I had no homework, readings or papers to write.

Every morning before the sun rises, I am either in a class room with some of the most intelligent eleventh graders I have ever met and discussing Macbeth, or doing laps in the pool with some girls from my cross country team.

I spend my days in class studying French, Chaucer, American Literature, and Shakespere. If I am not doing that, I am at my new job at Alternative’s Journal and I feel speechlessly blessed to be there. I am on the lowest rung of the publishing world as the intern, but I still work in a bright office with a city view and the essential Mac computer and have meetings with environment-loving academics.  This experiance is one of the most exciting and trying moments I have ever experianced because the bar of expectation is higher than it has ever been for me.

I am pouring my heart and soul into things that I love, but my #firstworldproblem complaint is that there are not enough hours in the day to fully immerse myself in what I do. I feel as if I am scratching the surface as I listen to a professor talk to me in Middle English or get 100 bits of essential hints about the writing world at work. 

So yes, I am working 15 hours days but I am loving every moment of it. Even though it feels like I am never going to survive this semester, I am forgetting there are only 24 hours in a day and sprinting full force through my days and trying to snatch up every amazing moment before it is gone.

Fanny packs and knee highs

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I think every runner has an allegiance to a certain running store. Well, at least I have an allegiance to a certain running store.

Indeed. Runner’s Choice is MY choice.

I sound like a bad infomercial, but there is a reason behind this proclamation of adoration.

Today, I walked into the store from the pouring rain to buy my compression socks. Yes. Not only am I going to be wearing my hydration belt , but I am wearing…

TA–DAAAA! The miraculous compression socks.

Someone had her own opinions on a $40 pair of “knee highs”

You may say fanny pack and knee highs, I say hydration belt and compression socks.

I actually did a ton of research on the socks and it looks like they actually are really effective. I will let you know in my race recap, but I am hoping for some magic because my knee is still killing me. Icing, Advilling and Epson Salting my way though the days.

Anyways, this is a ridiculously long digression, but I speak fluent Rabbit Trail. So why do I love Runner’s Choice? Well, I train with their trail running group which pushes me harder on the hills and further on the trails. The people are awesome and have helped me prepare so much. And when I walk into their store, chances are I know them from one of my running groups or races. I get a sweet discount because I train with them and all I need to do is say I need a shoe and they head to the back and come out with a box. They know my running style and host of “special needs” ;) and let’s face it, they are awesome.

I picked up some GU chomps and Shot Bloks for the race as well because I hate eating when I run, but I will need to keep my stores up or it is game over.

I am also popping Zinc and Echinacea tablets every day to keep my immune system in tip top shape.

And now I will leeway into something that has nothing to do with running for my some of my poor readers that couldn’t care less…

The French Club.

Tonight after class I walked across campus with my professor to McGuiness to meet the French Club. It is a casual setting where we can practice French with fluent speakers. I sat across from my TA and we talked music over nachos. We are swapping mixed CD’s in Fridays Oral Lab. My french is improving and I am slowly getting more confident. It still alarms me that I can swear fluently or make rude comments better then I can make casual conversation. I guess we all learn at different speeds. . .

Anyways, I have become the Queen of Procrastination here. I have been home for 2 hrs and I have yet to start homework.

Run Strong.

Procrastination

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Officially a French minor.

Laud help me.

This is me, in Paris, at Le Train Bleu. I think this was the trip that I fell in love with France, the French and anything francophone.

However, there is un petit problème…I sound like a twit when I speak it. But have no fear, I have come up with a plan to salvage my minor and walk out feeling like I deserve the label. It isn’t enough to be a member of the French Club or read French novels, I need to be immersed. I have absolutely no background in the language – not in elementary school or high school. I have currently wrangled French to the ground in University and am on the cusp of a break through.

Last night I sat down with the parental units and discussed taking a semester off of school when I return home from England. They were all for it for many reasons.

1. They love me and want to spend maximum amounts of time with me, their precious first born, while I freeload.

2. They want me to work off the debt I will aquire from living, travelling and SHOPPING in Europe.

3. I want to have an immersion experience before acing my French courses.

So there you have it. My friends often joke that if they don’t talk to me in a few weeks, I will have planned to go on an expedition to the moon. But the trick is…I eventually do almost everything I set out to do. I may dream big, but I love my life and I embrace change. I was just reading an essay by Greenblat on Thomas More and something popped out to me:

It is endless sameness that destroys an individual.

Indeed.

I hope your weekend is full of living it up and embracing change. I have spent the entire day in the library with a coffee and my head in a book. (edit: textbook) There is no such thing as pleasure reading for the next few months. Or pleasure for that matter. (This could get awkward…) What I MEAN is that I gave up going to a CONCERT of the one and only JUSTIN NOZUKA so that I can get some of my work done so I can can celebrate my friends birthday tomorrow night.

Who am I?

You can find me icing my knee and working on a presentation and listening to Mr. Nozuka.

Run Strong.

Weekend Recap

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Hello loves.

It is back to the grind after a wonderful weekend of this:

This:

and just being with family. It was exactly what we needed to recharge. Just some laughs, loving and a whole lot of hiking, rocks and water.

Jolene was with us in spirit; she even ate meals with us! :)

Please note the stylish hiking shoes. :P

It was hardcore!

The best peanut butter chocolate ice cream of LIFE was had at this little Sweet Shop in Tobermory. Go there if you ever happen to be in the area.

It was a great vacation.

Run Strong!

Question: I am thinking of buying a Macbook Pro. Does anyone own one? Thoughts/advice?

My Lifestyle

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I have always been slightly envious of my sister. She is beautiful, strong, smart and healthy- and she has never, ever mistreated her body and only treated it with care. She has always eaten exactly what she wants, but remains active and healthy.

I, on the other hand, have not always treated my body with the respect it deserved. When I was in high school, my steady diet included McDonalds, cheese, cookies and Pepsi. When my youngest sister became anorexic, I changed drastically as well. I fell to below 90 pds, which is significant as I am almost 5’8.

I took my life back, however, and now am healthy and fit, not too big and not too small. I have found my Goldilocks lifestyle.

How do I maintain this? Well. I have been blessed to be raised in a family where this is a common sunday afternoon activity:

Or swimming in our pool all afternoon. Or snowboarding in the winter.
Or this: (but we won’t get into that)…

I have been raised on wind surfing, waterskiing, snow boarding, wake boarding, rock climbing, dancing, running, and sports. And I am grateful. It is where I gleaned my love for running and what motivates me to train for my half marathon this fall.

Food is a touchy subject in our household because I was anorexic and my sister still is. NO ONE in our house voices it when they have a fat day and we never diet at our house. I believe it is good, I am just sad it only came about through tragedy. I eat quite a bit because I train very hard- I run almost every day, not including all the other activities I do.
Some of my favourite foods are Starbucks lattes with honey, all natural peanut butter, my mom’s fresh whole wheat bread, gooey brownies, corn on the cob, the occasional burger and sweet potato fries.
I eat everything- sometimes too much, sometimes too little, but the way I see it- that is being alive.

This past weekend, I was talking to one of my best friends who is an exchange student from France. I was telling her (over my soulvaki and french fries) that I was not getting much sleep that weekend and eating really really REALLY poorly.

She looked at me and said in the way that only French people can: (as if I was absolutely dim)
“But that is LIFE!”

Thank you, my dear friend, for reminding me that enjoying oneself is LIFE! I intend to live it.

Cheers!